How Much Caffeine is Too Much?
We hear a lot about the ill effects of caffeine and, like any drug, those can certainly occur with over indulgence. The truth is, that America’s favorite stimulant remains safe, if healthy adults (no sharing with your toddler, please) consume it in moderate amounts.
But what’s meant by moderate? How much is too much, and where the heck on the label can we read how much caffeine is in that cup? While we can all use good sense to know that anything labeled grande is not moderate, if you’re a by-the-numbers person, you might want to know more about caffeine amounts.
Here’s what the experts tell us:
Caffeine is measured in milligrams. 200-300 milligrams daily appears to be safe. Plain brew coffee contains about 135 milligrams per cup (16 ounces—this is not the same as that big fat mug you like to fill). 16 ounces of Classic Coca Cola contains about 34 milligrams. If you know your daily intake, you can do the math from here.
We’ll throw in a couple of comparisons to help you out. If Red Bull is your drink, you’ll slosh down less caffeine than in a cup of coffee at 80 milligrams. However, the biggest Full Throttle contains about 144 milligrams of caffeine. Follow those beans to the height of Starbucks’ Coffee Grande, and you’re swilling 259 milligrams (we warned you about the grande thing).
You also need to throw into this mix your sensitivity to caffeine. I can drink a cup of coffee an hour before bed and sleep like the proverbial babe, while some of my friends can’t sleep four hours after a caffeine hit. If you’re a small person, the amount of caffeine required to move you will likely be less than that for a big bod. Preggies should stay away from it altogether, as should children, because long-term effects haven’t been tested in them yet.
Of course, you can always find those who claim 6 cups of coffee per day is good for you. It’s a confusing world out there. But, to quote my grandmother, “All things in moderation.” It’s just a good, solid general rule to live by, especially pertaining to things that you swallow.
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